Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke

YOURZ

Oh, guess who loves the 80s.  Ladyhawke does, that's who.  But rather than copy the sounds, Pip Brown (her real name) has remodelled the sounds and updated them to create a hybrid blend that works well.

While this album has been in our collection for some time, I dismissed its presence as more girly dance music, the sort Mine loves.  But the reality is far from my rather blinkered point of view.  This album has some great new wave rock moments reminding me of some of Kim Wilde or Pat Benatar, which, in case you're wondering, is a good thing.  (There's also a little bit of Billy Idol as well - just listen to the track Danny & Jenny).

Oh, there are some more obvious influences for sure, but these are more in passing rather than as templates for the whole album.  In fact, Ladyhawke has more depth and substance than many similar artists who have adopted the same stylistic references.  As a début, it's certainly allowing Pip to spread her wings and leave room to fly in any direction she chooses.  And I can't wait to see where she lands.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE:

One of the albums I bought for myself purely with my Music Magazine Mojo (MMM), this New Zealand singer's debt to the 70s and 80s is obvious from the second you begin listening.  Artists that coursed through my mind as the tracks ticked by include 10CC, Gary Numan, the Cars and Blondie.  And there have been times in the past that I've dissed modern bands for re-creating the sounds of previous eras.  I mean, if I want to listen to that sound, I'll play those albums, right?

But there's a moment in this CD - I think it's the hit single My Delirium - that made me just smile and say, what the hell.  When reinventing Sounds Past to make Sounds of Now really works.  Funny, I listened to this a lot when I first bought it but I've been ignoring it recently.  This Stops Now.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.ladyhawkemusic.com/ 

The Flaming Lips - LateNightTales (compilation)

MINE

A lovely compilation to round out the month, and one of several LateNightTales we have in our collection.  I'll admit I voted for this particular one because it contains the beautiful River Man from Nick Drake, but I'm also loving 10CC's I'm Not In Love, 2HB from Roxy Music and of course the Lips' special version of The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army.  Gorgeous.  We loved this CD so much we bought it twice (seriously, we forgot we already had it and bought it twice. D'oh!)

In fact the only thing that spoils this CD is that damn Radiohead song.  SKIP!

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

The LateNightTales series and its predecessor series, Another Late Night, are a fucking great idea well-executed, so good, in fact, we have a few of them and will most certainly be adding more as we can.  As Mine points out, we liked this particular one, we had to buy it twice to show our love.  One of my brothers was the lucky recipient of the second copy, although his recent behaviour has me regretting this decision (a little in-joke, dear readers - I'm not serious).

The Flaming Lips are one of Mine and YourZ (truly)'s favourite bands so owning this was a no-brainer.  I love that we get a glimpse into the minds of our favourite acts via these collections - it is just fascinating what they pick as being influential and often completely defies the band's public persona. 

Every track on this is a winner but my favourite picks off this, aside Nick Drake, include Bjork's Unravel, People by Alfie, the Radiohead track Pyramids (yes Mine, it IS a classic), Chris Bell's Speed Of Sound and Sebadoh's On Fire.  And despite my avid dislike of most jazz, the Miles Davis track, My Ship, has me wanting to hear more of this genius' work.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP,


For more information: http://www.latenighttales.co.uk/

In our collection, we also have: Air - LateNightTales, Fatboy Slim - LateNightTales and Kid Loco - Another Late Night

Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen

MINE

Oh, why don't I play this more often?  A Forgotten Gem for me, that's for sure.  I've been a fan of shiny piano-based pop since my youth - aided by my forced piano education and my desire to play something, ANYthing other than the dull and boring classical pieces I was forced to practice day in and day out.  So my teenage years were informed by my love of 10CC, Billy Joel and Elton John.  Mock me not.  (YourZ sez: oh, come on, don't spoil my fun)

Ben Folds Five certainly deliver when it comes to that shiny-pop sound, even though many of the tunes on this album reflect a darker lyricism, including Song For The Dumped.  It's the album that brought the band their greatest recognition before they split, and is loaded with great tunes that'll put a positive feeling in your heart while delivering snide and depressing messages.

I have a soft spot for Mr Folds, for taking a young Adelaide girl as his bride, albeit briefly, and making his home Down Under for a while.  He's also fond of the Antipodes and tours here regularly, so maybe I'll take the opportunity to see him play next time he visits.  It's sure to be a fun gig.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

YOURZ

Hmm, reading Mine's review above and listening back to Whatever And Ever Amen, I also asked myself why I haven't listened to this more often.  Then it occurred me why.  As a guitarist, spending too much time listening to a pop music album that doesn't have guitars is kind of like an Israeli spending time in Palestine - it just feels wrong (I know - I need to get over myself sometimes, don't I?) (Mine says: ... reading my mind again dammit)

This is not to say this isn't a great album 'cause it is.  Ben Folds and co are fabulously talented and the songs are clever on a number of levels.  I really do like it and understand why Mine has called it a Forgotten Gem.  The opener, One Angry Dwarf And 200 Solemn Faces, sounds like everything Jay Kay (from Jamiroquai for those not in the know) has ever done except better and funnier.

Then there's the beautiful, sad and poignant Brick, which became a cross over hit for the band and propelled them into the mainstream, where I get the feeling a lot of people probably felt overwhelmed by the cleverness of Fold's lyrics and relegated the band to almost gimmick status, more's the pity.

But I think it's the song Kate, a piece of pure pop genius with soaring harmonies, I enjoy most.  I used to share a house with a girl of the same name and more than a few boys fell head over heels for her while she lived there.  The lyrics are almost a perfect homage to the girl I knew, although I was as never struck by her as my friends were (they never lived with her - let's leave it at that).

I'm glad the pointy stick landed on Whatever And Ever Amen because this is indeed one album (in fact the only Ben Folds in our collection) I am glad to be reminded we have.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.benfoldsfive.com/